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Images of Research 2019 Gallery

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 Healthy Perspectives

<span class=heading><b>All gowned up </b> by Liza Morton</span><br />Awaiting complex cardiac surgery to extract leads and have my 11th pacemaker implanted (pictured). My first was fitted when I was 11 days old; I’ve been dependant on pioneering medical care since and I’m passionate about promoting psychologically-informed medical care. By exploring people’s experience of wearing hospital gowns, we hope to better understand how they affect identity, well-being and recovery, and to influence change to policy and practice in hospitals.  Take part in the study here: https://hass.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6kRXTnsZ3AgUma1 <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Liza Morton</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Nicola Cogan, Lecturer in Psychology. </span>
<span class=heading><b>Can you wash your hands?</b> by Kondwani Chidziwisano</span><br />Hand washing with soap is one of the most important ways to stop diarrhoea transmission, but how can we achieve this when there is no tapped water and over 1,000 children in a school? In Malawi, we are developing and testing simple engineering solutions with locally available materials to help improve group hand washing with soap at schools. Instilling this practice at a young age can help save lives.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Kondwani Chidziwisano</span>
<span class=heading><b>Designing drug delivery to scale</b> by Despo Chatzikleanthous</span><br /> Soapy bubbles are made possible by surfactants – compounds that lower surface tension – enabling them to stretch and hold their shape. In our research, we use similar surfactants in water to make spheres, called liposomes. Used as vessels for drug and vaccine delivery, liposome size is crucial to targeting specific organs. We use advanced microfluidic technology to tailor the size of liposomes to improve their effectiveness as delivery systems.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Despo Chatzikleanthous</span>
<span class=heading><b>Empowering prosthetics</b> by Navid Aslani</span><br />What if you could change the appearance of your limb as often as you change your outfit? Standard prosthetics can make people self-conscious, and can discourage children from using them, so we are developing customisable, bespoke covers to help children to feel more positive about their prosthetics. The design process aims to be fun and encourage constructive discussion of prostheses between family and friends, ultimately empowering the user.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Navid Aslani</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Ability Matters</span>
<span class=heading><b>Heat-engineered imaging for precision</b> by Spyridon Bakas</span><br />This image shows the heatmap of an active micro-mirror which researchers are developing to transform biomedical imaging systems. The angle of this minute mirror can be manipulated through heating via electrical current, providing greater control of the imaging process. Incorporating these mirrors into light-sheet microscopes, we aim to reduce the size of equipment, and therefore the cost of building them, making them more accessible to developing countries.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Spyridon Bakas</span>
<span class=heading><b>Highway to your Heart</b> by David Nash</span><br />Coronary Artery Diseases are the number one cause of death worldwide, however, stents – a kind of artery scaffold – have greatly increased survival rates. Working with S-Bahn Medical, we are developing Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds to reduce the potential for in-stent clots. Providing support while the artery heals, these stents will then naturally break down to be safely absorbed by the body, significantly improving patient quality of life and reducing healthcare costs.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 David Nash</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Prof Mark Steckel and Calum MacLeod, S-Bahn Medical & Kenneth MacLeod, Y5 Undergrad Student</span>
<span class=heading><b>Keys to clearer diagnosis</b> by Botong Zhu</span><br /> This tiny pipe organ, designed and created by Strathclyde researchers, could revolutionise medical imaging. Ultrasound, which uses high-frequency soundwaves to create images of the inside of the body, is notoriously difficult to interpret. Like a piano with only one note, current ultrasound operates on a single frequency, causing image distortions. By enabling ultrasound to work on multiple frequencies, our device could greatly improve image quality and therefore diagnostic capabilities.  <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Botong Zhu</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Zhe Wang</span>
<span class=heading><b>Mental health: road to recovery</b> by Matthew Smith</span><br />By 2030, the World Health Organization estimates that mental illness will be the most common disease globally, affecting nearly 500 million people.  One way of addressing this enormous challenge is investing much more in preventive strategies.  Historical research at the University of Strathclyde shows that by examining how past societies dealt with mental illness, we can discover preventive strategies for today - and tomorrow.   <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Matthew Smith</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Court Smith (photographer)</span>
<span class=heading><b>Seeing the bigger picture</b> by Matteo Menolotto</span><br />This mosaic of the front of the eye is made from images of the back of the eye, demonstrating the vast visual field of ophthalmology and the many images required to assess eye health. As such, we created an open access Comprehensive Ophthalmic Research Database (CORD) in collaboration with NHS Forth Valley, aiming to boost the development of automatic and semi-automatic diagnostic solutions for eye health worldwide.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Matteo Menolotto</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Kirsty Jordan, Iain Livingstone (NHS consultant ophthalmologist), Kenneth Gilmour (NHS trainee ophthalmologist), Ian Coghill, Mario Giardini (supervisor) </span>
<span class=heading><b>Shaping the future of pharmaceuticals</b> by Moulham Alsuleman</span><br />In pharmaceuticals, quality is our first priority; having the right shape, form and purity is crucial for drug safety and efficacy. Using techniques such as hot melt extrusion, where a material is heated with a polymer in order to control drug release, we aim to understand drug behaviour (such as mefenamic acid, shown after crystallisation) in order to increase manufacturing precision and create more effective drugs.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Moulham Alsuleman</span>
<span class=heading><b>Twisted habit of pharmaceutical crystals</b> by Hector Polyzois</span><br />This image shows twisted crystals of polymorphic form III of oxcarbazepine, a commercially available pharmaceutical drug used to treat epileptic seizures. Pharmaceutical polymorphism is the ability of drugs to exist in multiple crystalline forms that often exhibit different physical and chemical properties. Our research at Strathclyde aims to develop new approaches for controlling polymorphism, thus ensuring that medicines are always administered in the most suitable form for treating patients.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Hector Polyzois</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Dr Deborah Bowering, Eleonora Paladino</span>


 Closing the loop

<span class=heading><b>Bright future for clean energy</b> by Petra Matusova</span><br />With concerns growing about humanity’s environmental impact, clean, renewable energy is needed more than ever. Solar panels are a staple of renewable energy and Perovskite solar cells are one of the frontier solar technologies but the lead used in them poses a potential hazard to the environment. In collaboration with University of Edinburgh, Strathclyde is developing an alternative lead-free perovskite absorber (pictured), in pursuit of cleaner, more efficient solar power.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Petra Matusova</span>
<span class=heading><b>Crystallising solutions for precision pharmaceuticals</b> by Raghunath Venkatramanan</span><br />The crystallisation process of sodium bromate produced this attractive fern-like pattern but the real beauty is in the research. At Strathclyde, we are trying to understand the precise process conditions to generate specific compound crystal shapes. This research could impact multiple industries, such as pharmaceuticals, enabling the production of drugs in tailor-made doses, improving their effectiveness and even making them easier to swallow.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Raghunath Venkatramanan</span>
<span class=heading><b>It’s not rocket science!</b> by Andrew Wilson</span><br />Environmental impacts of space activities have often been omitted from key legislation and regulations despite rocket propulsion being the only manmade source of emissions to inject ozone destroying compounds directly into all layers of the atmosphere. To address this, a new tool has been created at the University of Strathclyde which can be used in the design of future space missions to assist decision-makers reduce the overall environmental impact.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Andrew Wilson</span>
<span class=heading><b>Medicines manufacturing toolbox</b> by Monika Warzecha</span><br />The pharmaceutical industry wastes £40 billion a year due to inefficient manufacturing. Our research aims to transform how medicines are made by exploiting a wide range of characterisation and measurement tools. This provides essential information about the product at every stage of the development process, cutting down production waste effectively. <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Monika Warzecha</span>
<span class=heading><b>Power to the people</b> by Andrew Wilson</span><br />Although beaming solar power gathered in space, back to Earth, could present humanity with an unlimited supply of clean energy and provide disaster relief on demand, no demonstration projects have ever occurred to date. In collaboration with SPACE Canada, a small demonstration mission will be designed as a proof of concept for the technology with aims to launch into orbit by the mid-2020s, providing power to land-dwelling communities in Northern Canada.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Andrew Wilson</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Peter McGinty</span>
<span class=heading><b>Remanufacturing: extending product life</b> by Sascha Ruggaber</span><br />The world has limited resources that are rapidly being depleted by human consumption. However, remanufacturing enables a product to be rebuilt, to original specification, using a combination of reused, repaired and new parts, and is the best way of reducing waste. At Strathclyde, we are investigating new reclamation technologies for the remanufacture of combustion engines (pictured) which could see large-scale benefits from new technologies applied to the process.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Sascha Ruggaber</span>
<span class=heading><b>Responsible responsive materials</b> by Travis Hesketh</span><br />Water-responsive materials (such as His-Tyr-Phe, illustrated) convert a change in hydration level to a mechanical force. This particular biodegradable peptide increases in size by up to 65% when hydrated and could greatly reduce the environmental impact of industries such as robotics and power generation. Through its study, we’re exploring the development of new, natural materials to replace the many synthetic materials currently used in research.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Travis Hesketh</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Prof. Tell Tuttle (supervisor - Strathclyde); Prof. Xi Chen, Dr. Scott McPhee, Roxana Piotrowska, Prof Rein Ulijn (project collaborators - all of ASRC, CUNY)</span>
<span class=heading><b>The art of greening electronics</b> by Priscila Valverde Armas</span><br />This microscopic image of copper may hold the key to revolutionising the microelectronics industry. As the main metallic coating for electrical connections, current copper production is abundant but environmentally damaging. However, Strathclyde is investigating the use of deep eutectic solvents – a type of organic salt – to create metals with better properties. This could eliminate the need for many toxic chemicals currently used, decrease process water consumption and reduce manufacturing costs.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Priscila Valverde Armas</span>
<span class=heading><b>The sound of science</b> by Ronnie Woodward</span><br />In a similar way to the needle of a vinyl player, the measuring needle of this profilometer travels across the surface of the worn sample. However, instead of producing music, the needle measures the characteristics of the scar produced from the sliding wear test the sample was subjected to. By understanding how materials wear and fail, we can then design more robust materials and components in the future.  <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Ronnie Woodward</span>
<span class=heading><b>The texture of perception</b> by Lewis Urquhart</span><br />Perception is one of the most important aspects of how we experience products. My research has created sets of surface texturing and pattern designs on aluminium to explore aesthetics, emotion and tactile interaction and how we can elicit new categories of product experience through bespoke manufacturing approaches. The textures shown were created using advanced computer-numeric-control (CNC) machining techniques and are arranged in the motif of a human eye.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Lewis Urquhart</span>
<span class=heading><b>Waste fuelling antibiotic growth</b> by Anna Birke</span><br /> They may look like exotic sponges but they’re actually soil bacteria and could just be the answer to reducing the ten million tonnes of food and drinks wasted in the UK annually, whilst revolutionising antibiotic production. University of Strathclyde researchers in industrial biotechnology are exploring the use of food waste to produce more sustainable and less expensive medicines, making great strides towards a bio-based circular economy.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Anna Birke</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Prof Paul A Hoskisson (supervisor), Dr Steve G Kendrew (GSK), Dr Benjamin D Huckle (GSK), Prof Iain S Hunter (2nd supervisor)</span>


 Digital Connections

<span class=heading><b>Bringing engine emissions to light</b> by Gordon Humphries</span><br />Accurate measurement of emissions is essential in the development and evaluation of new aero-engine technologies. University of Strathclyde, and collaborators, have developed the first system (the red dodecagon - pictured) for imaging the CO2 distribution of an aero-engine exhaust plume. The system uses 126 individual laser beams to reconstruct an image of the distribution using a technique known as chemical species tomography (CST). <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Gordon Humphries</span>
<span class=heading><b>Developing opportunities through digital lighting</b> by Johannes Herrnsdorf</span><br />Our research is unlocking the true potential of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), such as the ability to provide energy-efficient, high-bandwidth wireless networks and improving the accuracy of digital identification, shown here. LEDs, made to carry a digital data signal, can enable precision positioning and 3D imaging of objects, increasing the imaging capability of accessible mobile devices. The potential applications for this technology are numerous, from domestic to industry, underwater to space.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Johannes Herrnsdorf</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Emma Le Francois (she is holding the mobile phone in the picture and she is involved in the underpinning research), Jonathan McKendry (lend his camera, and he is involved in the research that enabled this image), Alexander Griffiths (helped to arrange the setup), Michael Strain (Project investigator), Martin Dawson (Project investigator)r)</span>
<span class=heading><b>Driving optimal decision-making</b> by Antonio Pellicer Pous</span><br />Simultaneous closure of road sections after hazard impacts can quickly cause major disruption, producing significant economic and social impacts. Our research seeks to create a decision-support tool to enable transport authorities and operators to optimise resource allocation and prioritise repairs. With the incorporation of a module that simulates day-to-day drivers’ travel decisions, the system aims to account for all possibilities, minimising disruption, maximising connectivity and keeping traffic on the move.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Antonio Pellicer Pous</span>
<span class=heading><b>ImagineD: Realising your imagination</b> by Alex Duffy</span><br />The ImagineD research project envisions a future for Computer Aided Design where designers can seamlessly realise their imagination in the digital world. To achieve this vision, we are combining multidisciplinary expertise to study cognitive, neural and gestural activity in creative design. This image shows our vision and the results from our neurological research, highlighting the regions of the brain associated with product design engineering ideation.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Alex Duffy</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Madeleine Grealy </span>
<span class=heading><b>Improving surgical outcomes with AI</b> by Linda Lapp</span><br />With an aging population, complications after heart surgery – such as kidney failure, stroke and sepsis – are becoming more common. Could artificial intelligence be the answer? Our research aims to develop algorithms to accurately predict complications following surgery, in real time. With this knowledge, complications could be better managed, benefitting patient recovery and long-term quality of life, as well as reducing the strain on healthcare resources.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Linda Lapp</span>
<span class=heading><b>Miniaturised imaging: the bigger picture</b> by Ralf Bauer</span><br />3D printing pushes the boundaries of what is possible in prototyping and miniaturised fabrication. In this research, we aim to use 3D printing and active micro optics to create next-generation, miniaturised biomedical imaging systems. With advanced functionality and sizeably reduced production costs compared to current commercial products, they have the potential to unlock new research avenues, addressing global health challenges such as infectious disease research in developing countries.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Ralf Bauer</span>
<span class=heading><b>Safely inspect, detect and correct</b> by Robert Watson</span><br />Like them or loathe them, drones are becoming crucial to the inspection of industrial assets like nuclear plants and wind turbines. Our research seeks to improve the accuracy and insight of non-destructive, remote assessments, providing the ability to detect and track the development of minor faults whilst avoiding putting workers in dangerous situations. This image demonstrates the accuracy of a precision automated drone, recreating the University logo in light.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Robert Watson</span>
<span class=heading><b>Shedding light on communication security</b> by Aidan Arnold</span><br />Digital communication has never been more prevalent but security remains a real issue with the ability of secure coding – encryption – to be unlocked by sophisticated software and powerful computers. Quantum physics can create completely secure communications but is much slower than current encryption methods. Strathclyde and Glasgow physicists are exploring orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light (pictured); with its infinite alphabet, it could be key to creating fast, unhackable communications.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Aidan Arnold</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Rachel Offer (PhD student - generated the experimental data)</span>
<span class=heading><b>State of play: confusion</b> by Diane Morrow</span><br />A boy wants to play. Mother watches cautiously through a SmartPhone app monitoring the insulin pump that keeps him alive. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, exercise can impact his glucose levels but currently it is difficult to predict by how much. By studying the experiences of families living with diabetes, our research aims to re-design guidelines, and inform new technologies to help patients lead as normal a life as possible.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Diane Morrow</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Patsy Millar and son Sean</span>


 Tackling Uncertainty

<span class=heading><b>Arctic Ocean optical profiling</b> by David McKee</span><br />The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere else on the planet leading to rapid thinning and early retreat of sea-ice. We are assessing the effect of this ice loss on physical, chemical and biological processes that support the marine ecosystem. Here we see an optical profiler being deployed from the Norwegian research vessel, R.V. Helmer Hansen, to measure phytoplankton which are the primary source of food in the marine environment.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 David McKee</span>
<span class=heading><b>Building bridges, driving innovation</b> by Swapnil Khadke</span><br />This lego model represents the knowledge exchange ‘bridge’ between Strathclyde and the pharmaceutical industry. This creative, reciprocal exchange is based on strong foundations leading to the delivery of common goals and objectives. The exchange of knowledge drives innovation, enabling the University to work on real world issues and understand business challenges, whilst assisting companies in the delivery of drugs that make a huge difference to people’s lives.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Swapnil Khadke</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Dr. Carla Roces Rodriguez </span>
<span class=heading><b>Left behind</b> by Christine Habib</span><br />He is... left behind by the government, the aid agencies, collecting what is left behind by us. He is a left behind entrepreneur, in a left behind informal settlement. Through study of social entrepreneurship in informal settlements, such as those on the Greater Cairo fringes, we can inform national and international policy on the ability of the marginalised themselves to play a proactive role in the advancement of their communities.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Christine Habib</span>
<span class=heading><b>Making tradition craft resilient </b> by Churnjeet Mahn</span><br />For women in rural communities in India, traditional practices of weaving are a creative, cultural and economic act. Though skilled, these women have been marginalised from formal education and the mainstream economy. Through exploration of folk culture in late colonial Punjab, Strathclyde researchers have been able to give these women and their work a renewed sense of worth, creating new market opportunities and increasing their ability to command better pay.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Samia Singh and Ratika Singh</span>
<span class=heading><b>Occupation: guaranteeing spatial rights</b> by Donagh Horgan</span><br />Our research seeks to understand the impact of a networked approach to architecture through studies of social innovation across the world. This particular study in Sao Paulo, Brazil, followed the community occupation of vacant public buildings, demonstrating the power of collective activism in upholding citizens’ rights to the city, whilst also demonstrating alternative models for collective housing in response to the actual needs of citizens.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Donagh Horgan</span>
<span class=heading><b>Symbolic insights spark innovation</b> by James Kelly</span><br />It may look like an ancient cave painting but it’s actually a tiny imperfection on a fluid pump component, found during microscopic inspection. Made from Stellite superalloy – a metal compound usually prized for its corrosion and wear-resistant properties – the discovery of this feature led Strathclyde researchers to modify the component design, providing improved performance and increased lifespan for equipment vital to industry.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 James Kelly</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Advanced Materials Research Laboratory</span>
<span class=heading><b>The hygienic family</b> by Tracy Morse</span><br />Interventions to reduce diarrhoeal disease in developing countries like Malawi often fail because they lack cultural understanding. The University of Strathclyde-led intervention, Banja la Ukhondo (Hygienic Family) in rural Malawi uses traditional women’s groups to improve hygiene through peer education and innovative behaviour change techniques. We work with communities to ensure we understand the context in which they live, and develop solutions together to achieve sustained change and health improvements. <br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Tracy Morse</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Kondwani Chidziwisano, Tara Beattie, Mindy Panulo, Rossanie Malolo - all were involved in the research development and implementation </span>
<span class=heading><b>Transformation: from challenged to changed</b> by Annalisa Galeone</span><br />Disadvantaged people – the poor, unemployed, those with spent convictions – face many challenges in trying to better their lives. Our research is exploring the ‘transformative process’ experienced by those helped by charities in the hospitality sector, where practical training and assistance in finding jobs is provided. We aim to shed light on the challenges faced by these people and evidence the important role charities play in making their lives better.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Annalisa Galeone</span>
<span class=heading><b>Whose natural resources?</b> by Elisa Morgera</span><br />An indigenous community hears that the government is about to authorize a new mining project in their traditional lands. Can the community still say "no" to this development? What kind of benefits is the community entitled to, if the project goes ahead? Strathclyde’s research in International law aims to clarify practical steps, for governments and private companies to follow, to ensure respect for indigenous peoples’ human rights and environmental protection.<br /><span class=small>Image: © 2019 Elisa Morgera</span>.  <span class=small>Collaborators: Margherita Brunori</span>